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Are you looking for some new ways to relieve stress? Maybe you’re an older adult looking to connect with more people? Whatever needs you have, learning a new hobby, whether online or with a group can bring positivity to your life. If you’re looking for a few ideas to get you started, consider picking up some of these skills:

Explore Creative Arts

Creativity is good for more than just passing the time. Exploring creative arts such as painting, drawing or dancing can help you de-stress and bring meaning to your life. Having a creative hobby can also be a beneficial form of art therapy in addiction recovery for seniors. Dancing can be especially useful for seniors and those in recovery.

As an article on TreehouseRehab explains, “One of the best benefits of dancing is that you can do it in the privacy of your own home (provided you have the space) or in a classroom setting, which can help you socialize. It’s also a great way to get in shape and learn about your own body’s abilities and limits in a healthy way.” Exercising this control over your body can be a big boost for your confidence and help you get through stressful times in your life. So don’t be afraid to dance your fears and stress away.

Practice Your Photography Skills

Life can feel like it’s quickly passing by, but you can slow down and capture your special moments by getting into photography. Photography is more than an art or a hobby. A photo has the power to put memories into a tangible form that you can hold onto for a lifetime. What’s the best part about taking up photography as a pastime? You don’t even need expensive or complicated equipment to take professional quality photos. These days, smartphones possess all the power you need to capture beautiful images and share them instantly with family and friends.

But if you are more interested in using a DSLR or handheld camera, consider signing up for lessons or free online courses to learn how to use your camera correctly. Photography courses and meet-ups are a great opportunity to polish up your photo skills, while networking with fellow amateur photographers.

Learn to Play a New Instrument

If you want to learn a new skill, beat stress and improve your brain function, think about challenging yourself by learning a new instrument. Whether you’ve played in the past or never touched an instrument, there is a class or online tutorial to show you how to start playing a new one. When you think about choosing your new instrument, take a few things into consideration. For those with health limitations, certain instruments may be a better match than others. Wind instruments can present difficulties for those with respiratory issues while a traditional guitar could pose problems for someone with arthritis. But there may be additional accessibility options for those who are living with a disability.

Boost Your Flexibility

Exercise is a great way to expand your talents, meet other people and keep your body strong. One of the most beneficial workouts for people of any age is yoga. Yoga has been proven to increase flexibility, boost muscle tone and relieve tension with regular practice. For seniors, yoga can prevent falls that could lead to a serious injury, or even loss of life. You can find a local yoga class for just about any ability level or preference. From hot yoga to goat yoga, there’s a practice for everyone.

If you want to work on your poses at home, pick up a good yoga mat, some blocks and then find a space where you can stretch out. Check out some tutorials online to polish your moves and boost your overall health and happiness.

No matter your age, starting a new hobby is a good way to combat stress, connect with new people and bring a sense of purpose to your life. So pick up guitar, get out and dance or find your own new passion.

Although guitar picks are the cheapest accessory you need to buy before playing the guitar, they dictate what your tone and sound is when we strum.

It may seem as though guitar picks are simple little mechanisms that assist in us playing awesome music, but in reality they are one of the most important things to a guitar player because they give us the sound we want to hear.

When choosing picks, you want to think about weight, shape, size, and even the material.

Here are some tips to help you in your journey to becoming the best guitar player you can be.

What characteristics do you want?Guitar picks have many different characteristics such as thickness, size of the whole pick, shape of the tip of the pick, and what the pick is made of.

Depending on what kind of guitar and music you want to play, you might want a thicker or thinner pick.

In general, you want a thick pick for lead guitar and a thinner pick if you want to play more rhythm.

The thinner pick will absorb and give you more comfort when playing rhythm, but when you are playing lead you will want a thicker pick because you will be able to play the string you want without having to pluck as hard as you would have to if you had a thin pick.

What do you want your music to sound like?When you go to a music store to get your guitar picks, the best thing you can do is pick up a guitar and different types of picks with different materials.

For example, pick one with metal, nylon, rubber, celluloid, etc.

Once you pick some, grab a guitar and play around with them.

Listen to the ones you like and don’t like, and when you find some that you like, then you have found the ones you should buy.

Normally, metal guitar picks will be more expensive than the rubber and plastic ones because they are worth more.

Metal guitar picks are usually used for guitar picking, but not rhythm; rubber and plastic picks are the ones you would want for rhythm playing. Dark or light?As a beginning guitar player, it is overwhelming to walk into a store and see all these different types of picks with different characteristics.

Generally, if you want a darker sound, get a thicker pick because the sound will create a dark and deep sound.

If you prefer a lighter sound, you want a thinner pick because it will resonate a happy and bright sound.

No matter what kind of guitar you have or what kind of music you want to play, choosing your guitar picks is one of the best parts because you get to decide what colors, materials, shape, and weight you want.

So go to your local music store, pick up a guitar and get to know what kind of musician you are!

As we enter the season of love this year, it often makes people think of their favorite love songs and what they mean to them. Here are a few that people love to hear in this coming season:

Linger-The CranberriesThis song was released in 1993 by this group on the album “Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” This song was also nominated for MTV Europe’s International viewers choice award. The lyrics of this songs reads: “But I’m in so deep, you know I’m such a fool for you, you’ve got me wrapped around your finger.” This song is about two people promising to stay true to each other, but one breaks the promise and is unfaithful to the other. While the true partner knows they deserve better, they are still hopelessly in love with the other.

My Wish- Rascal FlattsThe song’s lyrics read, “My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can hold, And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too.” This song was released in 2006 on the album “Me and My Gang.” This song is about the true love that exists in which he can’t have the person he loves, but he still wants her to have everything she wants in life and he hopes she finds exactly what she is looking for in her life because he knows she deserves it.

Can’t Help Falling in Love With You- ElvisElvis is a world renowned singer of many songs like “Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, and Burning Love,” But one of his most famous songs was “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” This song was released in 1961 in the movieBlue Hawaii. The lyrics read, “Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand,Take my whole life, too For I can't help falling in love with you.” The words to this songs mean that just as nature will take its course as the river flows to the sea, I will inevitably fall in love with you because we are meant to be together.

Just the Way You Are- Billy JoelThis song was released in 1977 on the album “ The Stranger” in this songs he talks about how he will love this person he is singing to unconditionally; they do not have to change anything about them to make him happy, because all he wants is them. The words are, “I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble, We never could have come this far, I took the good times; I'll take the bad times, I'll take you just the way you are.” This song is an inspiration to many people stating that no one has to change for someone, because the right person will love you just the way you are.

Ain’t No Cure for Love- Leonard CohenThis iconic song by Leonard Cohen was released in 1988 on the album “ I’m Your Man.” This song’s lyrics read, “I loved you for a long, long time, I know this love is real, It don't matter how it all went wrong, That don't change the way I feel.” These lyrics reach out to his lover saying that even though there were a lot of problems and nothing went right, he still loved her because feelings cannot change overnight.

There are many genres of songs such as Rock, Classical, Pop, etc. In all of these genres they have love songs built into different albums. Some might argue that these love songs are the best part of an album, or even the best part of the genre. These 5 songs are love songs that portray what a lot people might be feeling in this time of year. People love listening to them because of how truthful they are and how beautiful they sound.

What would you add to this list of top love songs of the century?

You've spent months thinking about how awesome it would be to learn how to play the guitar.

Maybe you have a family member that plays and you want to be able to play with them. Or perhaps you have a friend who's a complete beginner guitar player and you want to learn alongside them.

Regardless, deciding to play the guitar is your first step in becoming a musician; step two is actually finding the best guitar for you.

Typically your biggest concerns are going to be:

1) PRICE2) QUALITY3) TYPE OF GUITAR

Here are a few tips to make getting the right one an easier process:

TIP #1:DECIDE WHAT KIND OF MUSIC YOU WANT TO PLAYIf you want to play songs from bands like Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, and Led Zeppelin, I recommend you go with the electric guitar in order to get a more "rock" sound. On the other hand, if you want to play songs from people like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, I would recommend the Acoustic guitar because it will give you more of a campfire, soft sound.

TIP #2:DECIDE WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BEAs you decide what kind of music you will want to play, you want to focus on how much money you spend too. For your first guitar, you don't want to spend too much, because there is a chance that maybe guitar won't be your passion in life. It is important that you consider only spending about $200-400 so you get a good guitar, and find out if you want to play for a long time.

TIP #3:DECIDE WHAT ACCESSORIES YOU'RE GOING TO NEEDWhen you are buying your guitar, you are probably thinking, "What equipment do I need to play the guitar?" Well, In all reality, it depends on the guitar, If you buy an electric guitar, you are going to want an amp and a chord to plug in along with some picks and a tuner, whereas if you buy an acoustic you won't need an amp, just some picks and a tuner. So picking what kind of guitar you want also picks what accessories might be needed.

TIP #4:KNOW WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN A GUITAR STOREIn a guitar store, you should expect that the salesman can and will tell you everything about the guitar you are looking at. The salesman should be able to tell you, the brand, the type of wood, how to tune it, and how good of a guitar it is. Make sure to play the guitar too, before you buy it, so you know what kind of sound you like in a guitar.

TIP #5:LEARN HOW TO PLAY AND SIGNUP FOR GUITAR LESSONSAfter you have bought your guitar, like the sound, and have gotten all of the fun accessories, now you have to actually learn how to play it. Start by looking up local guitar shops and teachers and look at their ratings to make sure you get the best one you can. After you have done research go in and meet them so you are sure they meet your standards. Then, when you start lessons, you can just have fun learning your new instrument!

Hey Guys! I'm super excited to talk with you about guitar picks! They are considered by many an essential tool for playing the guitar. As a beginner, it's going to be essential to learn how to use it effectively. But before we go into HOW to play with a pick, lets talk about what the best pick is!

A lot of people have a propensity to focus on selecting the very best acoustic guitar strings for their own instrument. But they didn't understand besides string selection, guitar plectrums can also make a large difference in the sound.

Selecting your FAVORITE guitar pick is in fact an integral part of guitar playing. Almost every modern guitar player uses guitar picks. Jazz guitar players, rockers, singer songwriters, you name it.

You utilize it to strum on your string instrument to produce sound. This small thing is usually made by several sort of material like plastic, stone, wood, rubber, etc. They're often shaped into a round triangle and include another sort of thickness.

At any time you go to music shop you will find there are nearly 100 different sorts of guitar picks displaying facing you. I'm sure you'll feel somewhat confuse and overwhelmed to make your choice.

The thinner a guitar pick, that the brighter that the noise. In terms of the picks edge, more rounded tip seems mellower. Various materials, shapes and designs produce various tones. They also play a role in user comfort and playability.

So what's the best guitar picks? This is subject to personal taste. A lot of people prefer using thin guitar picks for strumming and mediumship for picking. Dunlop Tortex is among all time favorites.

These guitar picks feel good on your fingertips and will not slip from your hands easily. They produce great sounds too.

Our advice to you is to purchase a variety of cheaper guitar picks in various materials and thicknesses, and take notes which create the sound and projection you prefer.

Guitar picks are a usually inexpensive investment and you may have got as much experimentation as you can before you stick to the best guitar selections.

You have taken the first step in learning how to play my FAVORITE instrument: the guitar!

Welcome to Part Four (the final post in this Mission Statement Series). Here you'll discover what I'm all about, why I'm a different kind of teacher and what makes me a passionate teacher and coach. I'm excited to meet you! I would love for you to leave a comment below leaving me your thoughts and your own introductions!

Mentoring to me is a crucial part of developing the skills to become the musician you want to be. You can certainly learn on your own, as there are plethora resources available to new beginners, but your ability to grow as a musician will be limited.

Star Wars and MentoringStar Wars made its debut in 1977 and since then the franchise has made $37 billion in the past 40 years. With video games, toys and other collectibles, the series has won the hearts of millions of fans all over the globe.

One of the reasons why it has connected with so many is the main character, Luke Skywalker, a young man living with his aunt and uncle, overcame adversity and began learning under the tutelage of the famous Jedi Obi Wan Kenobi. This relationship set the foundation for the rest of the franchise and I believe was the integral part in making it so successful.

Not only did Luke learn under Obi Wan Kenobi, but there was also another Jedi named Yoda, whose personality and wisdom connected with millions of fans. Yoda taught Luke the skills and techniques to become an amazing Jedi, but Obi Wan taught Luke how to have the right mindset to become a successful Jedi Knight. Without the right mindset, motivation, determination, none of the skills and techniques matter.

How on earth does STAR WARS and the MUSIC relate?

Around the same time that Star Wars came out, a guitar player named Joe "Satch" Satriani began to study jazz guitar and because he surrounded himself with other like-minded guitar players, he quickly excelled and even developed his own style that was unique to him and his own playing. He decided to teach guitar lessons and due to his mentoring and training, many of his students became famous musicians as well.

As we look to the New Year, many of us are looking to set goals to hopefully better our lives. From weight loss to getting out of debt, there are a LOT of things you can be focused on to grow as a person and a professional. Maybe it's finally picking up the guitar or another instrument. Maybe it's saving up for an amazing vacation. Either way, you're probably extremely motivated this time of year.

What else does this 'newness' mean for us? Especially as musicians? Here's a short list of 5 Ways Musicians Can Ring In The New Year.

1) New Gear
Is your guitar amp losing it's appeal? That practice amp you bought from some kid on Craigslist worked fine when you were just beginning, but maybe you need to upgrade this year to something a little more.... you. Whether that's a Fender Frontman 10G or a Vox AC15, it's your call.

As for as guitars go, I know I've been eyeing the Taylor Acoustic Guitar for a looong time. But if that's too much for you, perhaps the Fender FA-100 could start you off just right!

Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic Guitar

Fender FA-100 Acoustic Guitar - Natural

2) New Songs
Even if you have your favorite songs memorized, branch out a bit and learn some songs that will challenge you to become a better musician! Do you mainly stick with blues? Branch out and learn some jazz licks. Do you mainly play the Mario theme song? Go ahead and learn how to strum along to a Beatles song!

3) New Instrument
Perhaps you're already a guitar player? Pick up the bass, the violin, the cello, the mandolin, the piano, the harmonica or the kazoo! Learn something new this year!

Perhaps you're already a guitar player? Pick up the bass, the violin, the cello, the mandolin, the piano, the harmonica or the kazoo! Learn something new this year!

4) Writing New SongsHave you ever tried your hand at writing music? Perhaps you're already a professional singer/songwriting artist. Well even if you are, you need to be immersed in the songwriting process for a long time in order to produce the next 'hit'. But regardless if that's your goal or not, writing lyrics, melodies and rhythms will open up your instrument in a way you've never engaged it before.

5) NetworkingMany musicians these days are closet musicians. They play for themselves and only for themselves. I tend to think that a musician that doesn't play in front of others is holding back many blessings from the world. So step out of your comfort zone and meet new people who share the same passions and desires that you have. Co-write songs together. Record an album together. Play in coffee shops in front of other people. Start a youtube channel.

Well there you have it! 5 Ways Musicians Can Ring In The New Year.

Question: What goals do you plan to achieve this year either musically or personally?!

Christmas is about many things for many people. Families get together and participate in their own traditions, complete with eggnog and hot cider. Sugary treats are shared and cards giving thanks are distributed to friends and family. Shopping malls and online orders are packed as we spend more money than we probably should on our loved ones.

However for me, I would argue that Christmas is truly about giving.

Now some people would say Christmas is about getting... Getting guitars, amps, keyboards, electronics, etc. There's certainly a place for that (which we'll talk about!), but many times those people are really missing the boat when it comes to the true significance of Christmas.

Really the best way to spend your Christmas is being focused on giving rather than getting.

GIVING TO YOURSELF

This first one may seem like the whole 'getting' concept.

However, instead of focusing on the stuff, you're focusing on INVESTMENT. The big question is "How can I invest in myself so that I can give to and serve others?"

Invest in your instrument, in your accessories. Invest in your gear, your resources, your relationships with others. Buy a subscription to online lessons. Go get a voice teacher for a few months.

Invest in yourself so that others can benefit from your gift! It's not about YOU, it's about sharing with others!

GIVING TO OTHERS

Now here is the meat of what I'm trying to communicate.

No matter how talented you are, how skilled and amazing you sound, if you don't SHARE your music with the world, you're missing the whole reason why we play music.

Does it benefit you to play in a closed bedroom? Sure! If I was stuck on a deserted island you better believe I'm taking my guitar with me!

But if fear is crippling you to where you don't share your music with others, you don't understand the powerful gift of music you've been given. Step out of your comfort zone and share your passion with others! Risk being rejected by one person so you can bless a hundred!

SO WHAT???

So what are you going to do? Choose to invest in yourself and your craft! Give yourself permission to become the musician you have always wanted to be... SO THAT...You can invest in others!

Some tips:

Record yourself professionally and give it away.

Buy yourself that guitar you've been dreaming of.

Write a new song.

Co-write with another person and make something amazing.

Play covers at an open mic night.

Sing in a choral ensemble in your community.

Play music in a retirement home.

Teach somebody how to play your instrument.

Go to shows and meet other musicians.

Put together a band and play for weddings.

The opportunities are endless!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (Look out for the next blog post talking about the New Year!)

Congratulations! You have taken the first step in learning how to play my FAVORITE instrument: the guitar!

Welcome to Part Three of this Mission Statement Series. Here you'll discover what I'm all about, why I'm a different kind of teacher and what makes me a passionate teacher and coach. I'm excited to meet you! I would love for you to leave a comment below leaving me your thoughts and your own introductions!

Accountability.Definition: "the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility."Synonyms: responsibility, liability, answerability

How do you stay on task?What do you plan on doing when you're feeling burnt out?How are you going to stick with it when you want to quit?

As a teacher, my job is to teach in a way that my students can understand, but it's up to the student to be putting in the time to PRACTICE their craft and to apply what they learned in a real world setting.

Whether you're a beginning guitar player or a pro, you need to have accountability to follow through with your commitments.

1. The Accountability PartnerYou must choose somebody to keep you accountable. You need to be able to trust that person to not just tell you what you want to hear, but to speak the truth in love in a way that will motivate you to stay with the program. BE PICKY with the person you choose!

2. Define Your GoalsWhat do you need accountability for? What is your accountability partner keeping you accountable on? Make sure you are using SMART goals here. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Click here for more info on these types of goals.

3. Review and CelebrateKeeping track of your goals and having your accountability partner celebrate with you is an extremely rewarding experience. Create a rewards system so that when you're crushing your goals and continuing to grow, you can pause and enjoy the sweet smell of victory!

There you have it! Stay accountable, specifically with a real person and accountability partner. Don't have one? I would love to walk with you in this journey!

If you've never taken guitar lessons before, I highly recommend scheduling a free consultation byclicking here.

Again, please leave me a comment sharing with me your thoughts!

Question: Have you ever had an accountability partner? What was your experience and did having one help you achieve your goals?

Congratulations! You have taken the first step in learning how to play my FAVORITE instrument: the guitar!

Welcome to Part Two of this Mission Statement Series. Here you'll discover what I'm all about, why I'm a different kind of teacher and what makes me a passionate teacher and coach. I'm excited to meet you! I would love for you to leave a comment below leaving me your thoughts and your own introductions!

Content.Definition: "the substance or material dealt with in a speech, literary work, etc., as distinct from its form or style."Synonyms: subject matter, subject, theme, argument, thesis, message, thrust, substance, matter, material, text, ideas

dWhat do you expect to be taught? How much information do you want/need?Do you trust the person giving you that information?

As a teacher, my goal is to express to my students that I am trustworthy. I do that by genuinely caring for their heart, their goals, their passions (even and especially if it has nothing to do with the guitar). As I do that, I am able to build relationship and trust enough to share with them the content that they care about and that they need to hear.

1. Systematic LearningI am a list guy. I love lists. I love being able to check off the items on my list and watch it dwindle down.

My beginning guitar students love that, too! I know that to be able to see the progress they're making in a tangible way is huge for them as they learn. I have created a checklist that simplifies the learning process and helps them identify the road ahead.

2. AdaptationSometimes I go a roundabout way, depending on the abilities and goals of my students, to teach them everything they need to know about the guitar. Some want to be a lead guitar player, so I'll teach them scales and exercises that will prepare their muscles for that. Others want to sing around a campfire with their friends, so I'll teach them strum patterns.Either way, they'll learn everything they need to learn, but the way they are taught might change for each student as I adapt to their specific needs.

3. FunMost people start to play the guitar because they believe it's going to be fun! I want to use that motivation to my student's advantage and create an environment that is fun and rewarding. If it's a chore and you're not getting any enjoyment out of it, why do it?

Quality content is essential when you're first learning something, especially beginning guitar. You want to learn it the first time CORRECTLY, otherwise you'll have to relearn something different, which will take a lot longer and potentially burn you.

My promise is to create a fun environment for my students to learn systematically, yet being able to adapt to their goals and desires in the process.

If you've never taken guitar lessons before, I highly recommend scheduling a free consultation byclicking here.

Again, please leave me a comment sharing with me your thoughts!

Question: What have been some of the greatest road blocks for you in finding great content to take your guitar playing to the next level?

Congratulations! You have taken the first step in learning how to play my FAVORITE instrument: the guitar! Welcome to Part One of this Mission Statement Series. Here you'll discover what I'm all about, why I'm a different kind of teacher and what makes me a passionate teacher and coach. I'm excited to meet you! I would love for you to leave a comment below leaving me your thoughts and your own introductions!

Motivation.Definition: "the general desire or willingness of someone to do something."Synonyms: enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative, determination

What drives you?What are you determined to accomplish?What is the end game for you?What are your goals?

These are all important questions we must answer when setting out on a new venture. Especially when learning a new instrument, language, etc, we MUST define our motivations for choosing to learn something new.

Learning how to play the guitar, and play it well, is similar to training to run a marathon.

It takes drive, ambition, initiative and determination. Do you ever think that those runners ever experience a moment where they want to give up? Perhaps when their body loses energy and wants to collapse. Perhaps when they get sick and can't train for a few days. Perhaps when an unexpected injury happens and their body gets out of shape. I don't doubt that these runners have to battle some very intense doubts and fears as they train for months and months and beat their bodies into submission.

In the same way, there will be days where your fingers will hurt, you won't be able to play clear notes, you will feel overwhelmed and ready to give up. You have plenty of other things begging for your attention, anyway. Without defining your motivations beforehand, it will be easy to succumb to your temptations to give up and do something else.

First you must define your Internal Motivations.There will be times when you're just beginning, you don't want to practice the guitar. There will be times where you want to give up because it's hard. Internal motivation is what will keep you going when times get tough. Here's a few examples:

You feel the NEED to be at a point where you can feel comfortable playing the guitar in front of people.

You desperately want to write songs that appeal to people in your favorite genre.

You expect yourself to be able to play Christmas songs and sing with your family around the holidays.

DEFINE these Internal Motivations to keep yourself on the right track when the road gets hard.

Next you must define your External Motivations.When your internal motivations fail, (and they can!), you need to set up some external support to help you along the way.

Relationships - The relationships you have should spur you on to become a better musician and guitar player. You should ideally be surrounded by like-minded people who will make you strive to grow and mature as a well rounded musician.

Accountability - This is a word a lot of people hate. To be accountable to something or someone means we are going to SUBMIT (another word people hate) to that person. When you know you have somebody to give a report to, it is really motivating!

When you're first learning how to play the guitar, it can be an exciting time. But the honeymoon phase can quickly go away when you realize that it's not as easy as you imagined it would be. That's why you MUST define your internal and external motivations so you can keep yourself going when the road gets hard.

If you have Internal Motivation, but really need help with External Motivation, that's where the Burrows Guitar Academy can really help. My passion is to see students grow and become the musicians they always wanted to become. I do that by giving my students a structure to learn with, building relationship with them, coaching them and keeping them accountable through that process. If you're interested in Private Guitar Lessons or Online Guitar Lessons, feel free to fill out my registration form online at www.burrowsguitaracademy.com/registration.